The Taste
by Seylin
Summary: One summer can change us all but for Seth it left a lasting impression. Slash.


**Title**: The Taste

**Author**: Seylin

**Summery**: One summer can change us all but for Seth it left a lasting impression.

**Rating**: NC-17 for one section of smut. **PG** for the rest :P

**Warning**: Slash. Jasper/Seth. AU/AH.

**Disclaimer**: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Stephenie Meyer. This story is also based on the lyrics of "Strawberry Wine" by Deana Carter. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**A/N**: Today is the ever amazing **Starry_nights88** birthday. As such she deserved a fic dedicated just to her today. HAPPY BIRTHDAY STARRY! 3

The Taste

The bell above the door jiggled as Seth entered the diner. He smiled as a chorus of hellos rang out. When you came to the same spot every morning you tended to get to know and be known by everyone who did the same. Of course, he had been coming to this diner since before he could actually walk; it had been his grandfather's favorite place. A picture of Bran and his wife still hung on the wall next to the door leading into the kitchen, just for everyone who had not known the older owners to see how happy they had been.

Seth claimed his usual seat and spread the paper out in front of him. He read the first page while waiting for his sister to bring his cup of coffee. He had just turned the first page when the steaming cup was set on the third page. "I know I say this every day but I still find it amazing that you read that paper every morning. Nothing ever happens in this town."

Seth smiled at his sister and took a sip from the cup of coffee she had given him. "And I always say that I like to keep up with what's going on in this town."

Leah rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah, Miller's cows getting out and running down main street breaking news."

Seth laughed. "C'mon Leah, you know you were concerned about the cows and their calves."

Leah bit her lip and quickly wrote down his order, since she knew it by heart, and put it on the wheel for their mother in the kitchen. She would never admit it, but she had actually been concerned for the wayward livestock.

"Oh!" She exclaimed changing the subject. "I made a new tea; if it gets your approval then we'll make a special or something out of it."

Seth tried to look around her body to see what she was putting into the tea mixture but he couldn't see. His sister spun and set a tall glass of tea in front of him. Even this early in the morning the glass started to sweat. "It looks like…regular tea."

"Well it's not, just take a sip. I wanna know what you think," Leah insisted as she removed the plates from the counter next to him.

Seth picked up the glass and sniffed it. A familiar scent tickled his nose but he couldn't place it. Slowly he took a sip and relaxed as the sweet flavor danced over his taste buds. He hadn't had anything that tasted like strawberries for years; he had avoided it after that one summer. Granted the strawberry flavor of this tea wasn't as strong as strawberry wine but it was enough to remind him.

"Well?" Leah prompted when he didn't say anything.

"It's good Leah, really good," he assured her with a smile. "Definitely special worthy." He set the tea back on the counter and folded his paper.

Leah looked at him in confusion. "Where are you going? You haven't had breakfast yet."

Seth stood and laid the money for his breakfast on the counter. "I forgot I have some stuff to do… with the estate."

Sadness flickered over Leah's expression. It had only been a month since their father had passed away from a heart attack. But he had lived a full life, seventy-seven years of happiness. A man couldn't really ask for more. It was the reason Seth had come back to town.

Nearly fifty years of only coming for Christmas day and now he had spent a little over a month here. It was amazing how easily people forgave and became your friend when they didn't know the truth. Of course most of the older members of the community remembered him before he had left when he was eighteen.

"Yeah, okay," Leah agreed. "But if you need any help…"

Seth gave her a smile and tossed his paper in the trash. "I'll give you a call," he promised.

The bell over the door jiggled as he left.

/

Seth got into his car and started to drive outside of town. He hadn't driven this road in nearly fifty years but he still remembered it by heart. Muscle memory he supposed. His grandfather's farm lay on a stretch of eighty acres ten miles outside of town. Seth had worked that land from the time he was old enough to pick up a shovel til he had left when he was eighteen.

But one summer stood out in his mind. The summer he had been seventeen. The summer that Jasper Hale had finally taken all the flirting to the next level.

Seth turned off the air conditioner of his car and rolled the windows down. He let his eyes close briefly as he took a deep breath of the summer air. That air brought back as many memories as the hint of strawberry in that tea had. Seth lost himself in those memories.

/

_30 some years earlier…_

Jasper Hale stood straight and winced as his back protested the action. He squinted his green eyes against the sun that had been bearing down since it had risen at 6:53 that morning. Swiping an arm across his forehead he removed the sweat before it dripped down into his eyes. Looking out across the field he could see just how much work he still had to do.

It was hard work, working the land, but Bran Clearwater paid generously. And Jasper needed all the money he could get in the summer to pay for school the next year. Plus… Jasper's eyes traveled to the front of the field where he could see a boy of seventeen walking toward him, skin brown from working long hours in the sun, there were other perks to working on a farm. Watching Seth Clearwater grow into a handsome young man was just one of them.

"Hey Jasper!" Seth called waving a hand as he got closer. His eyes traveled over the tan skin of Jasper's bare chest before he got close enough to be noticed. He had never hidden his crush on Jasper but the older boy had made it clear that nothing could happen between them until he was at least sixteen. The summer before had been full of flirting. "I brought lunch."

Jasper stabbed the shovel he was using to dig big rocks out of the field into the ground. He smiled as he walked toward Seth, both heading for a tree that grew over the side of the field. It didn't provide much relief from the heat but it was better than sitting out in the sun. Sitting in the shade Jasper watched as Seth pulled two thick sandwiches, bags of chips and jugs of ice water from the bag he was carrying.

"Tell your grandmother I said thanks," Jasper said before taking a bite from his sandwich.

Seth nodded as he grinned. "So tell me about this school year. What did you learn? Who were your professors? Anything interesting?"

Jasper chuckled at the younger boy's questions. Seth always asked him questions, from this conversation alone he would come up with a hundred new ones for the next day. Seth was so thirsty for knowledge that went beyond the small town he lived in. Jasper settled himself back against the tree and started to tell Seth everything he could think of that had occurred this past year.

After an hour, the longest both of them would allow themselves lunch and rest, Seth packed up the trash from their lunch. He watched Jasper start back for the shovel he had left in the field. "Hey Jasper!" He called.

Jasper turned to look at Seth. For a moment he was caught by how beautiful the boy was highlighted by the sun. Seth's smile was the most beautiful though. "What?"

"You know what happened this past year?"

It was an odd question… Seth had told him pretty much everything. "What happened?"

"I turned seventeen!"

Those three words brought a smile to Jasper's lips. He glanced up at the sky. '_Thank you_,' he thought. "Meet me at the end of the lane, after supper."

Seth's grin widened. "I'll be there."

/

'_Finally_!' Seth thought as he walked back to the house. For so long he had been nothing more than a child to Jasper but tonight that would all change. Even though he was still stuck at this age between being a child and a man, he was closer to being a man. He was legal, that was all that truly mattered.

Seth would never tell anyone that he had a secret calendar. One that he had been keeping since Jasper had started to work for his grandfather three years prior. Each year he counted down the days until Jasper started to work for them. He also kept track of how many days there was until Jasper left. Seth hated September.

But this summer. This summer would change everything.

/

Seth snuck out that night. The moon had started to rise, bathing everything in a pale glow. At the end of the lane he could see the gleam of Jasper's car waiting in the shadows. Seth broke out in a run, not wanting to waste another moment. Jasper smiled at him as he climbed into the car.

Seth felt a shock go from his lips all the way down to his toes as Jasper leaned over and kissed him. It was a perfect first kiss. Seth licked his lips, already hungry for another, more fulfilling taste. "Where are we going?"

Jasper grinned. "You'll see." He reached out and took Seth's hand, lacing their fingers together. Jasper drove until he reached the river; the moon was high above them now. He pulled off the road and parked his car. "Come with me."

Getting out of the car Seth followed Jasper, taking his hand again the moment he was close enough. Jasper led him through the trees onto a well beaten path. Seth looked around, taking everything in. "What is this place?" He questioned.

"A path used for a long time I would say. Most days now it's used by those with horses," Jasper answered. "Come." Jasper led Seth to a small clearing near a sharp bend in the river. There were a lot of trees lining the river but the moon filtered through the leaves making the place look eerie in the pale light. The air was still thick and heavy from the day's humidity but being this close to the river helped considerably. Fireflies blinked on and off as they danced through the grass.

"We will have so many bug bites and ticks if we stay here," Seth murmured. He didn't dare raise his voice. Something about this place demanded that you be quiet.

"I'll be more than happy to check you for them," Jasper replied. Turning he pulled Seth close, he could feel Seth's heart hammering against his ribs. Jasper smiled and cupped Seth's cheek. Leaning in he captured Seth's lips, tasting the boy again, longer this time.

/

_Present day…_

Seth found himself smiling. It was funny how he could still remember all of this.

The world had not been as accepting then as it was now. After that night they had had to sneak around and keep the true nature of their relationship hidden. Leah had known that he was keeping a secret, they had always been very close, but she had never questioned him having never seen him happier.

His parents had allowed Jasper to take him looking at nearby college campuses one weekend, convincing them that it was better to start planning now rather than later. He had never had so much fun. First, seeing a city other than the one that was closest to his small town. Second, seeing all the possibilities that awaited him. Third, spending the weekend with Jasper. They made love every day… sometimes more than once, though he knew now that that was not uncommon, then it was.

He had wanted Jasper to show him the college he went to but it was hundred's of miles away. That had been enough to convince him that it wasn't possible that summer. He hadn't realized then that Jasper would have done nearly anything to keep him away from that campus…or at least hidden himself once Seth had gotten there.

Seth sighed shaking his head. He still remembered how Jasper had tasted. Like strawberries and whiskey.

/

_30 some years earlier…_

Jasper pulled away from the kiss and away from Seth. The younger blinked trying to catch his breath. Why had Jasper stopped? "D-Did I do something wrong?" Seth questioned.

Jasper chuckled. "No, nothing wrong. I just wanted to make things a little sweeter," he answered. Kneeling down by the edge of the river, Jasper pulled on a string that was tied to a low hanging tree branch. Seth watched with open curiosity as Jasper pulled on the string bringing whatever was on the other end in the river up. Finally a bottle emerged from the water and Jasper removed the string from around the neck.

"What's that?" Seth asked.

Jasper stood and grinned. "Strawberry wine," he replied. "Cold from the depths of the river." He struggled to open a bottle for a moment but finally the cork popped. Jasper raised the bottle to his lips and took a long swallow, then he offered it to Seth.

"I've never drank before," Seth admitted as he took the bottle.

"You won't get drunk easy off of this, just enough to relax you. It's more about the taste," Jasper said.

Seth nodded and raised the bottle to his lips. Jasper was right; it was sweet…with just the right amount of tang. But unlike what Jasper said, Seth could see himself getting very drunk off this.

They sat in the tall grass, drinking and sharing occasional kisses. As the bottle neared to being empty and Seth had a nice drunken blush on his cheeks, the kisses became longer, deeper. Eventually the bottle was forgotten and they lay back in the grass exploring each other's bodies.

Jasper kissed Seth, his tongue exploring the other's warm mouth slowly, not in any hurry. His hands moved over Seth's body, feeling the well defined muscles that all the farm work had created. When his fingers reached the bottom of Seth's t-shirt he pushed the fabric up Seth's chest, breaking the kiss long enough to bring it over the other's head. His lips left Seth's mouth to explore the newly exposed skin.

As Jasper's lips moved over his skin Seth gasped and groaned his appreciation. Jasper had wonderful lips… Seth didn't even notice Jasper removed his jeans. Okay that was a lie. He noticed, but he didn't care. However, he did care when he felt Jasper's lips and teasing teeth on the inside of his thigh. "Jasper!" He gasped.

Jasper took his lips away, eying the tempting thick column of skin between Seth's legs. "Seth… if I am moving to fast…" He wanted to go on but he wouldn't make a move that Seth didn't want.

"No!" Seth exclaimed. "I was just surprised. I want you to… to…"

"To…" Jasper trailed off as he licked from the base of Seth's cock to the head. "That?"

"Guh." Jasper smirked at the sound that escaped Seth's lips. Not needing anymore encouragement than that he took Seth into his mouth. Up and down, over and over, Jasper moved his mouth. His tongue worked the sensitive appendage in his mouth. He listened to the sounds that Seth made knowing that if this was his first time, which he was pretty sure it was, then Seth wouldn't last long and he wanted more than this.

"Seth," Jasper said taking his mouth away.

Seth whimpered arching into him, trying to get that warmth back. "Why'd you stop?" The pout was adorable.

"I want more, will you let me?" Jasper questioned, his fingers brushing through Seth's hair.

"More?" Seth questioned. Jasper moved, spreading his younger lover's legs, wrapping them around his waist. His own erection, free of the pants he had removed while pleasuring Seth now pressed against the other's skin. He could tell by the way Seth's eyes widened that he understood.

"I won't do this unless you want me to," Jasper whispered, swallowing hard.

"It'll…it'll hurt?"

Jasper leaned down and caught Seth's lips. "I'll do my best to make sure it doesn't. But yeah, it will."

Seth stared up into Jasper's eyes; he didn't understand what he saw in them. His hand wrapped around the back of Jasper's neck and he brought the other back down for another kiss. "Okay." Seth hated that his voice shook. "Okay."

Jasper gave him a beautiful smile and they kissed again.

/

_Present day…_

If he thought about it really hard Seth could still feel the pain that had come that night. He turned down the lane that led back to his grandparent's farm. Mail was falling out of the mailbox so he stopped and emptied it. Putting the various items in the passenger seat to be gone through later he looked out over the acres and acres of fields.

There had been a time when he thought that thirty was old. He had dreaded becoming old. Each day that passed had just brought them another day closer to Jasper leaving to go back to college. He had been keeping track on his secret calendar.

Seth had gone to the airport with Jasper to see him off. They had hugged and kissed, promising to write and not forget each other. Jasper's flight had been called and Seth had watched, his heart breaking as Jasper boarded the plane. Jasper had only glanced back to briefly wave. And then he was gone.

There had been a few cards and a few more letters beyond that. Seth vaguely remembered the words of the one long distance phone call they had shared. It had only been ten minutes, the call was expensive. The letters and cards had started to slow after that. The last one had come at Christmas and it was addressed to the whole family, not just Seth.

Seth had never understood the metaphors of nature before Jasper. But he sure understood them now. He and Jasper had been like two leaves on a tree in the fall. They had clung until the signs of winter had become to strong. Then they had drifted apart…

Jasper had never returned to the farm after that summer.

When Seth was eighteen he had left for college. He had foolishly gone to the college that Jasper had thinking that maybe he had stayed in the same city after graduating. Maybe, just maybe… he would catch a glimpse of him. Seth had looked, kept an eye out, all three years he had been at the college (he had worked his butt off to graduate early) but he had never seen Jasper. He had only found Jasper's name printed on an award's list once.

Seth hadn't gone back to the small town he had grown up in after graduating, except for Christmas. When the ground was covered in snow it didn't remind him as much of Jasper. He had avoided anything that tasted of strawberries since that summer but after that sip of tea today… it just brought back all the times he had remembered the taste of strawberry wine.

/

_30 some years earlier…_

Jasper had quickly prepared Seth, trying to be gentle as he entered him. Seth cried out and clenched his teeth in pain. Jasper had been right, it did hurt, it felt like he was being split in two! Jasper stilled his motions, his arms shaking as he stared down at Seth.

"I'm sorry baby," he murmured. "I'm sorry it hurts." Leaning down he caught Seth's lips with his own trying to take the other's mind off the pain.

Seth whimpered into the kiss. He clung to Jasper as he waited for the pain to pass. "It does pass right?"

Jasper kissed Seth's forehead, his eyes, cheeks, nose, everything he could reach. "I promise Seth. It'll get better. I'm going to move again okay?"

Seth shook his head. "No, no, no, it still hurts."

"It's going to until I get all the way in. There's a spot…inside… it makes it all better. I just have to hit it."

"Have you done this before?" Seth questioned, trying to delay Jasper from moving but also curious.

Jasper gave him that crooked grin that he loved. "A couple of times. That's how I know," he answered.

Seth chewed on his bottom lip. "And you're sure it'll get better?"

"I'm sure," Jasper assured him. "Ready?"

"Yes," Seth replied even as he shook his head. Jasper smiled again and kissed Seth as he pressed further into him. Seth cry was swallowed by that kiss. Jasper kept pushing in until he was completely sheathed in Seth. Pulling away from the kiss he wiped away Seth's tears.

"You're so tight Seth. It's amazing."

"I wish I could say the same," Seth muttered.

Jasper chuckled and pulled out then pushed back in. After a couple of thrusts he adjusted his angle and pushed back into Seth. By the way that Seth's eyes went wide and the gasp that he sucked in Jasper knew he had found that spot. "I told ya." Jasper pulled out again making sure to stay at that same angle as he thrust back in over and over.

Jasper was right. "Oh my God," Seth groaned. He was actually pushing back against Jasper now, arching his hips up to meet Jasper. Pleasure was overriding the pain, it felt amazing. So _this_ was what was so great about this.

"That's it baby, let me hear you," Jasper moaned speeding up his thrusts.

"Jasper!" Seth cried out, his legs tightening around Jasper's waist.

Jasper braced himself on one arm as his now free hand trailed lightly down Seth's body. His hand circled around Seth's erection, which had deflated a little from the pain Seth had felt previously. He stroked Seth's erection back into full hardness in time with his thrusts. Seth moaned, his head going from one side to the other wantonly. Jasper grinned as he watched his lover. God, he was beautiful.

"Jas-Jasper I can feel it…I-I…" Seth mumbled incoherently.

"Yes baby, I know," Jasper said through gritted teeth as he snapped his hips against Seth's. "Cum for me Seth." His thumb teased the head of Seth's cock, pre-cum spreading as he continued to stroke.

"Ah!" Seth cried out as he came. His body went tense, muscles tightening around Jasper as his cum shot from his cock onto his stomach. Jasper moaned deeply as he thrust twice more into Seth's tight body before he too went stiff, cumming deep within him.

As the tension slowly left his body Jasper collapsed against Seth. Their heavy breaths mingled in the thick air around them. Jasper smiled as he kissed Seth, his now free (clean) hand going to Seth's hair. Seth returned the kiss, wrapping his arms around Jasper's neck.

"I love you…" Seth whispered when the kiss broke. Jasper hummed against his lips, still close enough for them to brush.

"I should get you home," Jasper said softly. It didn't occur to Seth to mind that Jasper didn't return his words.

/

_Present day…_

"He never did say it…" Seth said aloud. "Not once that entire summer." Putting his car into gear Seth drove back the lane to his parent's house. His mother had been staying with Leah since Harry's death, which explaining the overflowing mailbox. A smile came to his lips as the house came into sight. It was the same house that had been in their family for generations. His grandparents and great-grandparents… as had his great-great-great…well you got the point, had all lived here…many of them dying here too.

Seth pulled up outside the house and parked his car. Getting out he stared up at the house before turning to look out over the fields. Everything was grown up now. It had been years since the fields had seen a plow. About ten years after he had left his father had decided that a farm this size was just too much work. So he had cut the eighty acres down to twenty and hired hands to help take care of it.

Staring out at the overgrown fields made Seth look down at himself, time had touched him too. He still had the tan skin of his youth but he had lost most of the defined muscle and in recent years had started to put on a few pounds around his middle. He wasn't worried about the extra weight yet but once he returned home he would join a gym. _'I wonder if Jasper saw me today… if he would like what he saw_…'

Seth's eyes widened at the thought. It was then he realized… his entire life he had been trying to live up to the unsaid expectations of a man who had taken his innocence. A man who had never said "I love you" back. He had followed Jasper to school, knowing that he wouldn't still be there. He had searched the school for any sign of Jasper, any single trace. "My God… I've been living in a shadow my whole life," he muttered brushing his hair back from his eyes.

Seth vowed then and there to change the rest of his life. '_I've missed so much…_' He thought. He would start with seeing his family more. Getting back into his car Seth started it and turned back toward the road that would take him to town. He had some things to really take care of before heading back to the diner for supper.

/

As suppertime approached Seth went back to the diner and even helped his sister wait some of the tables. It felt good to serve the people of this town. Leah commented on the change.

"Not that I'm complaining but you're usually not this helpful…"

"I'm going to make up for all the time I missed," he told her. "In fact, I want a large glass of that strawberry tea."

Leah's eyes widened. "But… I thought you didn't like strawberries. I completely forgot that earlier."

"I never said I didn't like strawberries, I love them actually, I just refused to eat them. I might tell you about it one day."

Leah nodded and went back into the kitchen; she returned a moment with a large glass of the strawberry tea. Seth thanked her as he took the glass and took a deep swallow. "Still good?"

"Even better than before."

Hours passed, patrons came and went, it was near closing time when the bell over the door jiggled. Seth looked up from the table he was wiping off. A man stood there looking a little lost, Seth would probably put him around twenty-five. He had the wildest golden brown hair Seth had ever seen and startling familiar green eyes.

"Can I help you?" Seth questioned.

The man looked at him and Seth was struck again by how familiar those green eyes looked. "Um, probably. I'm looking for 2789 Hillspring Road."

Seth scratched his head as he searched his mind for the address. His eyes widened and he felt like an idiot as he realized the address was for his parent's house. "That's my parent's house. My mother is in the back if you want to talk to her… but I'll have to ask what your business is."

"It's not my business actually. My dad went to park the car; he used to work on a farm out there. We heard the son of the man he used to work for had died. He wanted to come when the man he worked for passed away but couldn't get away from work. He wanted to pay his respects now. My name is Edward," the man said holding out his hand. Seth shook Edward's hand with a smile.

"Seth. Hey Leah!" He called. Leah appeared in the window to the kitchen.

"Yeah?"

"Edward and his dad need to speak with mom."

"His dad? Seth, there's only one guy standing there."

Edward laughed. "He's outside. He'll be in soon."

"Oh alright, just a sec." Leah disappeared and then reappeared a moment later. "Mom's elbow deep in soapy water. She'll be out when she finishes. Have a seat and I'll bring you a glass of strawberry tea."

Edward nodded and sat at the diner's counter. Leah brought him a glass of tea and he was sipping it when the bell over the door jiggled. A tall man with blonde hair and green eyes entered. He walked up behind Edward and rested a hand on his shoulder. "Did you find out how to get there?"

"Yeah, actually she's here. She's washing dishes but will be out in a minute. Dad, you gotta try some of this strawberry tea. It's amazing. Oh! Seth, I'm sorry, this is my father…"

Seth turned from where he had been picking up some plates on a table. Once again his eyes widened and he dropped the plates. His mouth hung open as Leah came running from the kitchen.

"What! What happened? Seth?" She questioned. She followed his line of sight and her eyes widened. "Sweet Jesus…"

"…Jasper Hale…" Edward said slowly. Jasper smiled charmingly.

"It's been to long Leah." His eyes went to Seth. "And much too long Seth."

"Strawberry wine," Seth muttered, the words sounding like both a blessing and a curse.


End file.
